Watchman&#39;s electric time-controller.



UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

WATCHMANS ELECTRIC TIME-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed March 6,1905. Serial No. 248,561.

To all 1117710717, it 77mg concern:

Be it known that I, PEDRO Rnrrz, a citizen of Germany, residing at Munich, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVatchmens Time- Controlling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in watchmens time-controlling apparatus.

The objectof the invention is to provide means whereby it a watchman whose duty it is to visit certain locations at predetermined times and in a predetermined order shall fail to fulfil his duty a signal will be given to those interested in ascertaining that the watchmans duties are fulfilled.

l/Vith this general object in view my invention consists in the features, details of construction, and combination of parts, which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawing is a diagrammatic view of a system embodying my invention.

In the drawing, A is a clock having suitably-arranged contact-points, as a, b, d, e, and 2,located around its dial. The larger or minute hand f of the clock will come into contact with the said contact-points at the desired moments, depending upon the relative location of said contact-points a, b, d, e, and 2, which is determined by the conditions to be 1netfor example, the distances apart of the locations to be visited by the watchman, the times when he shall visit the same, and the direction in which he shall travel in visiting them.

The minute-hand f is connected to one terminalfor example, the positive poleof a battery E by a conductor g.

B is a double-acting electric switch, consisting in the present example of two horseshoe-electromagnets t and 8, arranged to act upon an armature 7, whereby the armature is drawn toward one magnet or the other, according to which magnet is energized. The armature 'r carries a contact-arm 00, arranged to make an electrical contact with either plate 1; or plate a, according to the position of the armature.

At D, M, and N are indicated double-acting switches similar to the one, B, just described, the respective armatures being indicated at Z, 3, and 10, while the respective contact-arms of the armatures are indicated at n, 4, and 7.

The electromagnets h, 2, and 18 correspond to the electromagnet t of the switch B, and the electromagnets p, 13, and 14 correspond to the electromagnet s of the switch B. Fur thermore, the contact-plates mi 6 5 9 S correspond to the contact-plates u v of the switch B.

At P is illustrated a single-acting electric switch or relay whose armature 15 is normally held away from the electromagnet 19 by a spring 20. The end of the relay-armature is arranged to play between and contact with either of the two contact-posts 16 and 17, the latter of which serves merely as a back-stop.

At F is illustrated an alarm devicein this case a bellintended to be placed at the position where it is desired to announce the failure of the watchman to fulfil his duties.

At G, H, K, and L are illustrated pushbuttons intended to be located at the places to be visited by the watchman at the predetermined times, it being assumed in the present arrangement that the watchman passes from G to H by way of K and L.

The apparatus described is connected as shownnamely, the magnet t has one terminal connected to the plate 1) by a wire 21 and the other terminal to the appropriatelylocated contact-point of the clockas, for

example, to the contact aby awire 22. The magnet 71, has one terminal connected to the plate i by a wire 23 and the other terminal to a contact-point appropriately located on the clockdialas, for example, the contact dby a wire 24. The magnet s has one terminal connected to the negative pole of the batteryas, for example, by the conductors indicated at 25 25 25 the other terminal being connected to one side of the pushbutton G by the wire 26. The magnet p has one terminal connected to the negative pole of the battery by the conductor 27, joined to the conductors 25 and 25 while the other terminal is connected to one side of the pushbutton H by a wire 28. The armatures r and Z of the switches B and D are connected by conductors 29 and 29 to the conductor 25*, and hence are in constant connection with the negative pole of the battery E over said conductors 29, 29, and 25 and over conductor 25 One terminal of the relay P is connected to the positive pole of the battery E over the conductors 30 and 30, while the other terminal is connected by conductors 31 and 31 to the remaining side ofthe pushbutton G and also by the conductor 31 to the contact-plate 6 of the switch M. One terminal of the magnet 2 is connected to the positive side of the battery E by conductors 32 and 32*, the other terminal being connected to one side of the push-button K by a conductor 33. is connected to the positive pole of the battery-E by aconductor 34, joined to the conductor 32*, while the other terminal of said magnet 18 is connected to one side of the push-button L by a conductor 35. The magnet 13 has one terminal connected to a suitably-located contact-point on the clock Aas, for example the point zby a conductor 36, the other terminal, as well as the corresponding terminal of the magnet 14, being connected by a conductor 37. The remaining terminal of the magnet 14 is connected to the negative pole of the battery E over a conductor 38, joined to the conductor 25'. The armature 3 is connected to the contact-plate 9 by a conductor 39, and the armature is connected to the remaining side of the push-button H by a conductor 40. 'Theremaining sides of the push-buttons K and L are joined to the negative pole of the battery E over conductors '41 41 respectively, joined to conductors 41 and The contact-post 16 of the relay P is connected to the negative pole of the battery E over conductor 42, joined to conductors 41 and 25 The contact-plates u and m are connected by conductors 43 and 43*, respectively, and conductors 44-and 44 to one side of the electric bell F, whose other side is connected by conductors 45, 45*, and 45 to the contact-points b and e. The armature 15 of the relay P is joined to the conductor 44 by the conductor 46.

In the construction illustrated the contactpoints a b d e z are located on the clock under the assumption that the watchman is to visit the location of the ush-button G on the full hours and that of t e push-button H on the half-hours and shall pass the intermediate oints where the push-buttons K and L are ocated on the way from G to H and shall signify his fulfilment of these requirements by pushing the respective push-buttons. Under this assumption the operation of the system is as follows: A short time before the full .hour the minute-hand f of the clock comes same to and through the contact-point a,

thence over the conductor 22, through the wlndlngs of the magnet 25, thence to the contact-plate '0 through the contact-arm a: of the armature and over the latter to the conductor 2.9,along said conductor and conductors One terminal of the magnet 18 29, 25 and 25 to the negative pole of the battery. The magnet t is energized and at tracts its armature 1, which is thus moved so as to carry its contact-arm a: from the plate 12 to the plate u and break the circuit thus described. If now the watchman does not push the button G in due time, the minute-hand f on its forward movement 'will contact with the contact-point b shortly after the full hour and will establish an electric circuit from the positive pole of the battery E over conductors 30 and g, the minute-hand f, the contact b, conductors 45 and 45 to the bell F, thence over conductors 44 44, and 43 to the plate u, thence over the armature 1", whose arm a: is at that time on the plate u, and over the conductors 29, 29 25, and 25 back to the negative pole of the battery, thus ringing the bell F and giving notice that the watchman has not arrived in due time at the point G. If, however, the watchman presses the button G in due time-viz. before the minutehand f has contacted with the contact-point bthe circuit through I) will not be estab lished, for the reason that the closing of the button G opens the alarm-circuit by moving the armature 1" back to the original position, as shown in the drawings. This results as follows: When the button G is pressed, it closes a circuit from the positive pole of the battery E over conductors 30 and 30, through the windings of the relay P, through conductors 31 and 31 to the push-button G, thence over conductor 26 to andthrough the windings of the magnet s and by way of conductors 25, 25 and 25 back to the negative pole of the battery. The magnet s is energized and attracts itsarmature 1", thus bringing the contact-arm 90 from the plate u to the plate '0, which opens the alarm-circuit between plate a and the arm 00. When the watchman arrives in due time at station K and presses the push-button, then a circuit is closed at K from the positive pole of battery E over conductors 32 32, the windings of magnet 2, conductor 33, push-button K, conductors 41, 41 and 25 back to the negative pole of the battery, thereby energizing the magnet 2 and drawing the armature 3 from the contactplate '5 to the contact-plate 6. Upon arrival of the watchmanat station L and the pressing of the push-button at that place a circuit is closed from the positive pole of the battery E over conductors 32* and 34, through the windings of the magnet 18, over conductor 35, push-button L, conductors 41 41 and 25 back to the negative pole of the battery, thereby energizing magnet 18 and drawing the armature 10 from plate 8 to plate 9. When the minute-hand f of the clock reaches the contact-point d shortly before the predetermined time at which the watchman must press the push-button H, it closes a circuit from the positive pole of the battery E over conductors 30 and g, over the hand f, contact-point (Z, conductor 24, magnet 71,, conductor 23, plate i, armature Z, conductors 29 25 and 25 back to the battery, thereby energizing the magnet h and attracting armature 1 from plate 01 to plate m. If now the watchman arrives in due time (in the present example between five minutes before and five minutes after the half-hour) at station H and presses the button there, a circuit is closed from the positive pole of battery E over conductors 30 30, relay P, conductors 31 31 plate 6, armature 3, (at that time on plate 6,) conductor 39, plate 9, armature 10, (at that time on plate 9,) conductor 40, push-button H, conductor 28, magnet p, conductors 27, 25, 25 and 25 back to the battery. The magnet p is energized and attracts its armature Z from plate m to plate i. If, however, the watchman does not arrive at H in due timefor example, prior to five minutes after the half-hourthe minute-hand f comes into contact with the contact-point e and closes an alarm-circuit, which rings the bell F, this circuit being as follows: from the positive ole of the battery E over conductors 30 and g to the hand f, thence to contact e, thence over conductors 45 and 45 to the bell F, thence over conductors 44 44, and 43 to plate m, thence over armature l (at that time in contact with plate m) and over conductors 29, 25, and 25* back to the battery. In this way the bell F is rung to announce the failure of the watchman to press the button H in due time, although he may have pushed the buttons K and L in proper sequence on his way to H. If, however, the button H was pressed at the proper time, the alarmcircuit last described is opened between the armature Z and the plate m by the movement of the armature Z from m to i upon pressing the button H, and consequently the minutehand f upon passing the contact 6 cannot cause the ringing of the bell F. If, however,

the watchman, notwithstanding his arrival in due time at station H, did not press both push-buttons'K and L on his journey from G to H, an alarm is sounded upon the arrival of the minute-hand f in contact with contactpoint e, because the pressing of the button at H after a failure to press either K or L does not close the electric circuit through the magnet p, as previously described, said circuit being open either between the armature 10 and the plate 9 (if K was pressed and L was not) or between both armatures 10 and 3, respectively, and their corresponding plates 9 and 6, respectively, if neither push-button K or L was pressed.

The contact-point 2 serves in connection with the minute-hand f to restore the armatures 3 and 10 to their normal positions, as shown in the drawing, by closing a circuit as follows: from the positive pole of the battery E over conductors 30 and g to the hand f, thence over contact 2, conductor 36, magnet 13, conductor 37, magnet 14 and conductors 38 and 25 back to the negative pole of the battery. Thereby both magnets 13 and 14 are energized and their armatures attracted from plates 6 and 9 to plates 5 and 8, respectively. The relay P serves to prevent a destruction of the function of the apparatus by a short-circuiting of the conductors leading to the push-buttons G and H. If such a short circuit should occur, not only will 8 and p be continually energized, (which would prevent the clock from moving the armatures 1' and Zfrom plates U to l6 and from plate i to m, respectively,) but also the relay P will be energized continuously, thereby holding its armature 15 against the contact-post 16, whereby an alarm will be sounded when the minutehand f reaches the point I) or the point e, or both, the circuits being as follows: from the positive pole of battery E, over conductors 30 and g to and through the minute-hand f, thence either through contact-point b and conductor 45 (if the minute-hand is on b) or through contact-point e and conductor 45 (if the hand is on e) to conductor 45, thence through the bell F, and over conductors 44" 46, armature 15, contact-post 16, and conductors 42-, 41 and 25* back to the negative pole of the battery E.

It is to be understood that the devices G, H, K, and L, which I have referred to as push-buttons, are merely examples of con venient forms of circuit-closing devices to be located at the desired points.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with an electricallyactuated alarm device, an alarm-circuit in which the same is included, and means for energizing said circuit, of an electromagnetic switch arranged to close said alarm-circuit at one point, a clock arranged to actuate said switch to close the alarm-circuit at said point and thereafter to close the alarm-circuit at another point and thereby ring the alarm, and manually-actuated means for 'moving .said switch to open the alarm-circuit.

2. The combination, with an electricallyaotuated alarm device, an alarm-circuit in which the same is included, said circuit being normally open at two points, and means for energizing said circuit, of a double-acting electromagnetic switch arranged to close said alarm-circuit at one point, a switchoperating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to close the alarm-circuit at said point, a second switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate said switch to open the alarm-circuit at said point, a clock arranged to close the first switch-operating circuit and thereafter to close the alarm-circuit at the second point where it is open, and manually-operated means for closing the second switch-operating circuit to open the alarm-circuit.

3. The combination, with an electricallyactuated alarm device, an alarm-circuit in which the same is included, said circuit being normally open at two points, and means for 5 energizing said circuit, of a double-acting electromagnetic switch arranged to close said alarm-circuit at one point, a switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to close the alarm-circuit at said point, a second switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate said switch to open the alarm-circuit at said point, a clock arranged to close the first switch-operating circuit and thereafter to close the alarm-circuit at the second point I where it is open, manually-operated means for closing the second switch-operating circuit to open the alarm-circuit, and electromagnetic means arranged in said second switch-operating circuit and. arranged to close the alarm-circuit around that point where it is opened by the manually-operated means.

4:. The combination, with an electricallyactuated alarm device, and an alarm-circuit z 5 in which the same is included, said circuit being normally open at two points, of an electromagnetic switch for closing the alarm-circuit, a switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to close the alarmcircuit at one point, a second switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to open the alarm-circuit at said point, a clock arranged to close the first switch-operating circuit and thereafter to close the alarm-circuit at the 3 5 second point, manually-operated means for closing the second switch-operating circuit at one point, electromagnetic means for closing said second switch-operating circuit at another point, and means for energizing said circuits.

5. The combination, with an alarm mechanism, an alarm-circuit in which the same is included, said circuit being normally open at two points, an electromagnetic switch arranged to close the alarm-circuit at one point, a switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to close the alarm-circuit at said point, a second switch-operating circuit arranged to actuate the switch to open the circuit at said point, said second switch-0pcrating circuit being open at at least two points, manually-operated means for closing said second switch-operating circuit .at one of said points, an electromagnetic circuit-closer closing the second switch-operating circuit at another of the points where it is open, a circuit-closer circuit for actuating said circuitcloser to close the second switch-operating circuit, a second circuit-closer circuit for actuating the circuit-closer to open the second switch-operating circuit,- a manually-operated device for closing the first circuit-closer circuit, a clock arranged to close the first switch-operating circuit and thereafter to close the alar1ncircuit at the second point where it is open, and also arranged to close the second circuit-closer circuit, and means for energizing the circuits.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. PEDRO REITZ. Witnesses:

ULYssEs J. BYWATER, MATHILDE K. HELD. 

